Trump's foreign policy fractured the USA's alliances, expert warns

A new analysis of USA foreign policy under Donald Trump highlights a sharp break from past approaches. Carlos Gaspar, a senior researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations, argues that Trump's isolationist and confrontational stance has weakened traditional alliances. His comments come as part of a wider discussion on the ideological divide shaping the West's future.

Gaspar, who has advised three Portuguese presidents on foreign policy, describes Trump's leadership as a radical departure from post-WWII norms. Unlike predecessors such as Bush and Obama, who prioritised NATO and shared democratic values, Trump's administration relied on coercion—threatening security guarantees, imposing tariffs, and pushing fossil fuel policies that clashed with EU goals.

The researcher warns that Europe now feels 'orphaned by the old alliances' due to these shifts. He frames the current USA retreat as a structural dilemma: a nation cannot simultaneously uphold republican values and act as an empire. Gaspar also stresses that abandoning the universality of Western values poses the greatest long-term risk.

In a recent podcast, he explores whether Europe remains a fortress or a fragile house of cards. The episode delves into historical context while tackling transatlantic taboos around Russia and China. Trump, meanwhile, has positioned himself as 'the saviour of Western civilisation'—a claim Gaspar links to the ideological struggle now defining global politics.

Gaspar's assessment paints a picture of a fractured transatlantic relationship. The USA under Trump moved away from cooperation, leaving Europe to reassess its strategic position. The debate over values, power, and alliances is likely to shape Western policy for years to come.